Search For The Needed
by ScythePhoenix
Summary: In which Harry Potter finds himself in a bit of trouble. Going back to the past was not what he had planned to do, especially with his three-year-old godson.
1. Chapter 1

It was two years since the Battle of Hogwarts, as people call it.

Two years, and so much change. The elected Minister of Magic was Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Minerva McGonagall became the headmistress. Hermione choose to continue her final year, while Harry and Ron had gone straight to Auror training.

He and Ron were now Aurors, the training taking up the majority of their time. There had been hardly enough time to visit anyone, even the Weasleys. He and Ginny didn't pick up immediately after the war was finished. There was still plenty of people who wanted him dead. He couldn't risk it. Which was also why he was hesitant to take Teddy out. His godson was usually looked over by his grandmother, while he came to visit. But today he needed to take the three year old to Diagon Ally. Teddy had wanted a picture book.

Once they got there, he was surrounded by people. He wondered if there would ever be a time his fame wouldn't matter. He quickly want past the people, ignoring their questions, holding Teddy. They only went past Gringotts, when a wizard – Eliphas Dodge? – came towards him.

"Harry Potter! You are needed at the ministry!"

At Harry's glare, the man quickly said "Immediately," and left.

Harry thought about it. The last time the Ministry had asked for his help (not as an Auror), it was a duty so simple, that even _Lockhart_ could fix it. But there was the slimmest chance that it could slightly important. Nevertheless, he couldn't take Teddy. But everyone he knew was either out or at work, even Mrs Weasley. Harry contemplated this for a few moments. He then approached the nearest Floo entrance.

Just after entering the Ministry, he was dragged away.

"Mr Potter, thank Merlin you're here! As you know the Ministry has been quite busy these few years. Even those in different departments have been helping. Including the Unspeakables."

"The ones who work in the Department of Mysteries?" Harry asked.

"Yes. Well you see they have a bit of a dilemma in one their rooms, and they saw fit to ask you. Since you went and fought You-know-who."

Harry sighed. Still, people refused to say Voldemort's name. Besides, it was years ago. Why would it affect anything now?

"But is it urgent?" Harry gestured to Teddy, who was now sleeping, his head resting on his shoulder.

"Mr Potter. If the Unspeakables cannot fix it, is isn't good."

Soon, Harry was led to the Department of Mysteries. They passed many doors, until they stopped at one with a distraught man standing in front of it.

"Well, Mr Potter, I'll leave you now. I was only the messenger," He added, as he saw Harry's confused face.

"Harry Potter, and your godson - I presume?" Harry nodded. "Yes, well, what Mr Munch said is embarrassingly correct."

"You see," He began, as he opened the door. "One of the many objects in this room has been moved, or even lost. And everything in this room must not be taken or put somewhere than their given place. Even when we research, we bring the necessities here, not the other way around."

As they entered the room, which was filled with peculiar objects, a circle with runes drawn onto the floor, and another door. The man spoke again, "Now Mr Potter, have you been in this room?"

"It does look familiar," Harry said.

"Do you think something is missing? If you did, we would have a gist of when this could have happened. "

Really. They ought to be getting Hermione to look.

"And Mr Potter," the wizard continued, "it was a rather important artefact, so we had cast spells and drawn runes to search for what we needed. So do be careful."

"It sounds like you're leaving." At he did, when another wizard beckoned him over.

Harry sighed. Okay. He would think he of all people wouldn't be left in a strange room, in the unknown part of the Ministry, with a three year old. But perhaps that's why he did it.

Harry shook his head, and began looking around. missing? He wondered. He had definitely been in the room before, but he couldn't really remember the details. Surely, if they expected him to remember it, it would be something easy to see. He looked a bit more, which was quite difficult with a toddler in his arms.

Harry sighed. There was definitely nothing different that he could see. He felt Teddy stir. He supposed he should try to find a way out of the Department, and take his leave.

As soon as he thought that, a bright light came from the runes circle. He supposed it was the missing object. He moved towards the circle. He had his foot placed in the circle, when he was surrounded by light. He wondered what had happened. Harry pulled Teddy towards his chest. Both of them then disappeared in the light, leaving an odd object in their place.


	2. Chapter 2

Harry opened his eyes, and blinked. He was now in front of Diagon Alley, though he recalled he was in the Ministry. Yet that was the least of his problems. Diagon Alley was in flames.

Frantically, he looked for Teddy, while grabbing his wand. To his relief, Teddy was just a few feet away, though he was on the ground. Harry searched for any bruises on his person, before Teddy opened his eyes.

"Hawwy, where are we?" Teddy asked.

"Diagon, but we have to leave quickly." As much as Harry wanted to stay and help, he had a bigger priority.

Harry was about to pick him up to apparate back to his home, when spells whipped past them. People rushed past, getting away from the fire and curses. People in masks were also heading there way. 'It can't be,' Harry thought. But there was no mistake in the silver masks, and all doubt was washed away when a green spell was cast into the sky – the spell that showed a snake coming out of a skull In the sky.

More people sped past, as the Death Eaters surrounded them. Harry hoped that Teddy alright. "Teddy, get down," Harry said lowly.

It was then when the Death Eaters casted the first spell. Harry blocked the blasting curse, and retaliated with ' _Stupefy_ '. Another Death Eater cast an entrail-expelling curse, which Harry blocked with ' _Protego_ '.

"Furnuculua!" Harry said, which hit it's mark. One of the Death Eaters had boils spreading all over them. The Death Eater dropped his wand, as his hand was probably covered with boils. After disarming him, Harry duelled with another Death Eater. Harry briefly wondered why they weren't casting spells at once. It would have been more difficult than one-to-one. But as soon as that thought finished, the Death Eaters started doing exactly that. Harry moved away from where he and Teddy awoke, and countered their curses. Harry blocked their ' _Expulso_ ,' and dodged their ' _Crucios_.' Harry retaliated with just as much vigour. But he was still thankful that another man came and stopped an oncoming curse.

As Harry and the man duelled the Death Eaters, he said, "Take your child and get out of here."

Normally, Harry would have continued fighting till the end. But Teddy was much more important. So Harry cast a few more hexes and left the man to finish them off. While he went towards Teddy, he saw another man in front of him, barricading any oncoming spells. Harry ran towards them, and felt his heart drop to his stomach.

It was impossible for the man to be here. Yet there was no mistake. The same shaggy black hair, the same face, and the same look when fighting Death Eaters. Harry wondered if this was all a dream, until a ' _Diffindo_ ' stung his arm. Harry hissed in pain, and shot a hex from where the spell seemed to come from.

"How many are there?" Harry asked the man, the man who couldn't possibly be alive.

"Dunno, but there aren't that many here," the man said, while dodging a hex. "Is the kid yours?"

"Godson, actually," Harry responded, while casting a knock-back jinx.

"Bit young, aren't you?" ' _Wouldn't you know_ ,' Harry thought.

"Oi! Sirius!" At voice called.

Harry's breathing staggered. So the man was Sirius. Unless there was another Sirius in the Wizarding World. But any doubts Harry had, had disappeared, when two people appeared in his vision. It seemed like two years ago, when he held the Resurrection Stone in his hand. A man with black messy hair like his, and a woman with emerald green eyes, just like his.

"The Death Eaters disapparated," James Potter said. "Cowards, the lot of them. And the fire's gone. Who are you?" The question was aimed at Harry.

"Erm, Harry, and this is Teddy."

"Oh, is he alright?" Lily Potter asked, concerned about Teddy.

Teddy was unharmed for the most part, other than a bruise on his cheek, which a quick 'Episkey' fixed. "I'm fine," Teddy said.

Lily then turned her attention to Harry. After scrutinizing him for a few moments, she asked, "Do you have a cousin, James? You both look awfully alike."

"No, but you're right." It seemed like James only then noticed the resemblance.

"What if it's Polyjuice? Or a glamour, 'cause he does look a bit different than you," Sirius said. "Should we bring him to Dumbledore?"

"Er," Harry started, finally finding his voice, "What year is it?" He was dreading the answer.

James looked at him in confusion. "1979."

Okay. So he and Teddy had somehow gone 21 years back in time – something that should not be possible.

"Y'know, I'd really like to see Dumbledore." If there was anyone who'd know what happened, it would be Dumbledore – no matter the time period.

"Really? You sure you're not a spy?" Sirius asked sceptically.

"Yes – I'm not a Death Eater." ' _Quite the opposite._ '

"Well then, Harry, we'll take you to Dumbledore," Lily said, ignoring Sirius' and James' wary faces. "But we're taking your wand," she finished, outstretching her arm.

Sirius seemed mildly surprised when Harry gave her his wand, even with slight reluctance.

"Grab hold of my arm," Lily said. After doing so, the group apparated away.


	3. Chapter 3

The five of them appeared in Hogsmeade. Harry had recognized most of the shops, however most were closed down. Teddy looked around as well. It seemed that he knew where they were, even though he had only been there a few times in the future.

The future.

Harry still couldn't whirl his head around the fact that they were 21 years in the past. When his parents were still alive. When everyone was still alive.

"We're heading to Hogwarts – Dumbledore's there," his mum - Lily - said, interrupting his monologue. She said a spell under her breath, and a doe appeared out of her wand. She whispered a few words to it before it pranced off. "Dumbledore knows we're coming." She then lead them down the path to Hogwarts.

"I still think it's awfully suspicious he wants to see him – and that he gave up his wand!" Sirius whispered to his dad, James.

Harry had to remember that these weren't his parents yet. Yet. What would happen if their Harry was born before they left this time? Could both of them exist at one time? Would he go out of existence, leaving Teddy alone? Harry slightly tightened his hold on him. He was determined to go back to their time. Hopefully Dumbledore will be able to help.

The five of them passed Hagrid's, which seemed smaller, the Whomping Willow, looking greener, and the Quidditch Pitch. So many good and bad memories. They had entered Hogwarts, which was empty quiet, but was not surprising considering the war. They had soon reached the headmaster's office. Harry recognized the gargoyle barring the doorway. James then walked towards it. He quietly said the password – Liquorice Wands – which Harry strained to hear. The gargoyle moved, allowing them entry. Once they arrived in the office, filled with objects, books, and gizmos, a wizard in the centre turned towards them. Albus Dumbledore, in all his bearded glory, looked the same, other than a wearily look in his eyes. Harry hadn't realized how much he had missed the headmaster. Although, while the headmaster looked at him with joy in the past (the future?), he now stared at him apprehensively.

"Lily, James, Sirius," he said, nodding at each of them.

"Professor Dumbledore," James started. "This is Harry and Teddy. We found them during the attack on Diagon Alley. He said he wanted to speak with you."

"Truly?"

Harry nodded, and glanced at his future parents and godfather. Harry couldn't talk about this with them here. Or anyone other than Dumbledore.

"Why don't you all check on Edgar?" Dumbledore then suggested. The three of their faces darkened, and Lily's face seemed worried. They nodded, gave his wand to Dumbledore, and promptly left the office.

Dumbledore turned to Harry, "Now was there something you wanted to say?" He asked.

"Yes." Harry had to tell the truth to someone. "I know we haven't met, but we will."

Dumbledore lifted an eyebrow.

"We're from the future," Harry said bluntly.

"Really? When will we meet? Tomorrow, or next Tuesday?" Dumbledore asked.

"Er, no. We first meet in 1991."

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose. "12 years? Such time travel hasn't been invented."

"21 years, professor. We came from the year 2000." Harry swallowed. He had expected Dumbledore, one of the best wizards, to solve this catastrophe. What if he and Teddy could never go back? The child in question was quiet, staring at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore, as if sensing Harry's distress said, "Just because it has not occurred, doesn't mean it is impossible. It is however, unfortunate that you have come to this time. Dark days are upon us."

Harry glanced at the child in his arms. He didn't want to think of Teddy seeing the horrors of Voldemort and his followers. The attack on Diagon Alley would be enough to traumatize a child.

A thought occurred to Harry. "Professor, with us being from the future, would our actions change it? I mean, I had helped stop the attack on Diagon Alley."

"Hmm," Dumbledore hummed, stroking his beard. "Time travel is a fickle thing, indeed. It could change the future, create a another timeline, or perhaps this is what happens in your past. Of course, these circumstances are unique, so we can never be sure."

Dumbledore then looked at a squirming Teddy, who seemed uncomfortable staying in one spot. "I do not know what would happen when you are born in this time. You met me at Hogwarts, correct?" Harry nodded. "1979 or 1980. There are at least two years until you in this time are born. I'm afraid I don't know how long it will take to get you two back," Dumbledore said.

"I understand, sir."

"Good," Dumbledore clasped his hands. "Now, in the meantime, would you like to stay in a safe house of mine? As you have no place to go?"

"Yes, thank you."

"It's not a problem. Many of my associates come there, including those who escorted you. Speaking of which, you might want to come up with a new surname. Many of my associates would be suspicious of the lack of one. Of course it doesn't help that you look so much like James," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling.

So Dumbledore had figured out they were related. Harry thought about what Dumbledore had said. A surname? Well, Potter and Weasley were out; they were well-known in the Wizarding World. Harry could've chosen Evans, or even _Dursley_ , but he wasn't sure how common they were. He supposed he could also – .

Dumbledore interrupted his thinking, "I realize this has come as a large shock for you, appearing 21 years in the past – perhaps even meeting your parents – so I'm assuming you won't tell anyone the truth while you're here."

Harry shook his head.

"Well then, we can leave now if you wish," Dumbledore said.

Harry nodded. He was glad he had some money in his pocket, but he was unsure if it would be enough to stay at Hogsmeade, or Diagon Alley – once it recovered from the flames.

Dumbledore continued to speak, "As I had said, my associates can be quite paranoid, especially in these times. So I warn you not to seem suspicious." Dumbledore then offered his forearm to Harry, who took hold of it.

"I thought you couldn't apparate in Hogwarts," Harry said, furrowing his eyebrows.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Magic does not have boundaries," He said cryptically.

They disapparated from the eccentric office.


End file.
